Monthly Archive for September, 2007

Tony Steward shares about the, “World Wide Open”

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 17, 2007
in Communication
. 0 Comments

I was in a discussion with Tony Steward of Contagious Solutions the other day when he shared with me a really intriguing concept he had heard about called World Wide Open. He was sharing with me that it is Christian group looking to connect the fits and passions of the church with the needs of the world.

He also included that it is a shared space of expertise of the church that will further enable the ability to meet needs and spread the gospel. I found it interesting and thought you might as well. Tony has put the post on his blog. Click on the link below to read his article.

Link to Article

Dream Come True

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 15, 2007
in Street to the Seat
. 0 Comments

This has nothing to do with StS, but my dream came true this morning. My garage was full of dirt bikes and a four-wheeler. I was almost in tears it felt so good and they aren’t even all mine. I own the KTM 450 EXC (orange bike) and the Honda XR70 (small red bike).

Some friends of ours asked if we could store their bikes in our garage this fall. Thanks Steve and Joni for letting me experience one of my dreams.

You think I’m having fun, look at the faces of my boys.

boys-bikes.jpg

Lessons and Learning’s from the Week

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 14, 2007
in Top 10 Things
. 0 Comments

10.  Life isn’t always fair.

9.  Everyone needs a Sabbath Day – It’s one of the BIG 10.

8.  I was reminded this week that it is important to find a rhythm in life.

7.  Doing a conference call pod cast via Skype with two of my brothers in different parts of the U.S. is a blast.

6.  Pastor Lance Witt is doing a great work with his new ministry, “Replenish”.  We are launching his ministries first pod cast here on StS this coming Tuesday, September 18th.  Don’t miss it!

5.  There is a huge need for us to provide, “Soul Care”.

4.  WhoAreTheseGuysPodcast had some great stuff this week.

3.  I need to spend more time with my friend and fellow colleague Pastor Kurt.  Super Dude!

2.  Life is too short not to show love.

1.  Monster Energy Drink in my new friend.  Thanks Kyle for getting me hooked.

Pastor Rick Warren shares his top 40 Baptism Ideas for your Church

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 13, 2007
in Community
. 0 Comments

I spoke with Pastor Rick Warren a few days ago and asked if I could share with you a few of his ideas on ways to increase baptism. He said, “Sure” share them. Of course there are 40 for us to ponder.

Here is Pastor Rick’s top 5 ideas with a link to his full list of recommendations that almost any church can do:

1. Mention the value, purpose and benefits of baptism regularly in sermons.

2. Videotape some of your baptisms. Prepare a music video of baptisms to show in your worship service so people who’ve never seen a baptism can witness one.

3. Have clothes ready for people who decide spontaneously to be baptized after a service.

4. Make it a party atmosphere. It’s a celebration, not a funeral. Applaud baptisms!

5. Invite small group members to witness the baptism and identify them before each baptism.

Link to Complete List

Do these 40 things and the number of people wanting to publicly demonstrate their faith through baptism will rise dramatically.
_________________
Pastor Rick Warren, Saddleback Church

Book Review: Simple Church

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 12, 2007
in Book Reviews
. 0 Comments

“I’m a common man, drive a common van. My dog ain’t got no pedigree. If I have my say it’s gonna stay that way, Cause highbrow people lose their sanity. A common man is what I’ll be”…oh…wrong blog.

Forgot I was doing my book review blog today but, “Simple Church” by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger did make me think of that old country song.

Simple Church

Seriously though, there is a lot in this book to think about; the first being to keep it simple…stupid. My terminology not theirs. But think about it, the more clutter and complex the more that ones energy is deflected. I was reminded as I’m sure several of you will be to clarify, align, and focus our time and energy on discipleship making.

I’ve heard others say that as a direct result of this book they were planning on revising their mission statement and revamping their ministries just so their members could remember what it is that they are about.

It is a great book about taking a fresh look at getting back to the basics of making disciples.

 

 

What are the Core Values of Street to the Seat with Pastor Kerry Mackey and Pastor Erin Kerr

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 11, 2007
in Audio Podcast
. 0 Comments

This week Pastor Kerry Mackey and first time host Pastor Erin Kerr talk about the core values of Street to the Seat. They also bring up the coaching network for any church or ministry that wants help in the four C’s mention in the podcast, and the Street to the Seat store where any resources referenced in the show will be available.

 
icon for podpress  Standard Podcast [17:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Never Miss an Opportunity

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 10, 2007
in B.E.L.O.N.G.
. 0 Comments

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to teach our Membership Class which helps persons determine if our church is a place they’d like to “belong”. It is part of our introduction to church family process that allows persons to peek into the life of our church and determine if this is the place for them. We engage persons in discussion around God’s purpose for their life, God’s purposes for the church, Our Statements, as well as how God has organized the church and their role in participation.

During our discussion time I use many different ways on engaging the group that helps them see that I’m just an ordinary guy from East Texas who loves Jesus and wants them to love Him too. It is it core of who I am and who the Church is. Our desire is for them to choose Christ and belong to the church family.

During one of my discussion points I refer to the days in my life where I took Jesus a lot of places He never intended to go. Yet, in those places He never left me. It was during that time in my discussion that I recognized that more than half the crowd was on the edge of their seats. It was an opportunity to take them to the next level. You know what I mean? You could see that they had taken Jesus there too and they were looking for someone to help them see that He hadn’t left them.

In situations like that, never miss an opportunity to help persons take steps to Christ for the first time or for some steps back to Christ. After the class I had the privilege of talking with Tim and Angie about their journey to Christ. We shared I’d tattoo’s, our journey’s to Christ, and then I had the great privilege of baptizing Angie that very night with another 20 folks who stepped across the line of faith to Jesus.

As you think of StS type learning’s, let’s encourage one another to never miss an opportunity to make our stories personal.

We’d love to hear your stories about “never missing and opportunity”. Please send us your comments!

Lessons and Learning’s from the Week

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 7, 2007
in Top 10 Things
. 0 Comments

It’s Friday, but Sundays coming…thought I’d send you my “top 10” lessons and learnings from the week. Nothing super spiritual just a few things that were good learnings for me this week.

10. wifi is a must for the entire universe. What did we do before wireless internet?

9. Having friends with condos in the Sierra Mountains is a God send. Tom, thank you for ministering to our family in this way. You were a blessing to us this week.

8. Yosemite is even prettier than I ever expected. Thank you Lord for creating such a pretty place for us to enjoy.

7. The giant sequoias’ in the Mariposa Grove on the southern tip of Yosemite are well worth the drive. As well as El Capitan, Half Dome, Tuolumne Meadows, the numerous waterfalls, earthquake faults, etc..

6. It’s not just about information, it’s about the right information at the right time for engagement. Done right information/welcome centers can be very affective tools.

5. Plan Ahead, Enlist a Team, Keep it Simple, Make It Visible, and use Technology when Available.

4. Launching pod cast and seeing their results are very exciting. Have you subscribed, yet? - do so by clicking on “Subscribe to the Podcast!” on the right tool bar.

3. Having a basic blogging guide is an incredibility helpful tool. Wished it had been available last year. Thanks Tony for the basic blogging slideshow.

2. Writing is very therapeutic.

1. Being a witness for Christ never ends. We carry our communication; connection, contribution, and community wherever we go…even on vacation.

Beginners Guide to Blogging

Published
by
Tony Steward
on September 6, 2007
in Communication
. 0 Comments

Blogging has quickly grown from a trend for tech geeks, to the communication staples of politicians, companies and even news websites. But what is blogging, and how can you “do it” effectively?

Blogging is the center of the large amount of conversation happening on the internet today. From gadget sites like Engadget to politicians such as John Edwards and Barak Obama, blogging is more than just the mainstream, it is the preferred method many people have in hearing and reading information. Many like it because they feel like they are getting the real scoop because of the human voice attached to it, instead of the copy from a marketing or PR team.

So, knowing how to blog, and whether or not it fits your situation as a church is important. Many people would love to engage in a consistent conversation with you or your pastoral staff about the life of your church, and a blog could facilitate that conversation. There are many ideas, but before you start any of them it is good to know where to start.

Recently I posted a slideshow that walks you through the 10 essential tips you need to effectively blog. It helps you better understand the dynamic of writing for a blog. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at tony@streettotheseat.com

Click Here for Slide Show  [just click on the screen to go to the next slide]

Book Review: The Case for the Real Jesus

Published
by
Kerry Mackey
on September 5, 2007
in Book Reviews
. 0 Comments

Case for the Real Jesus

Well Lee has done it again. He has brought home another great read, but more than that it is being reviewed as his, “most effective and strongest work to-date”…”arguably compelling”…”an indispensable tool for all Christians”. I’d go one further than that to say it is an even greater read for those who are questioning the validity of Jesus and whether or not He is who He says He is.

It just so happens that I saw Lee this past weekend and mentioned to him that I’d be posting a book review this week and that I would love to have him shoot a podcast with me later this month to be posted later this fall. As always, Lee was more than accommodating so StS will be recording a podcast with Lee on his learning’s from his research later this month. Can’t wait to air that podcast later this fall. Stay tuned as I’m sure you’ll enjoy that podcast as well.